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How to survive any festival season

Herein lies the ten commandments of surviving festival season.

While trending fashion and coveted items are forever changing, there are basic principles that will always remain the same. Like comfort, practicality and street smarts.

So without telling you exactly what to wear, below you’ll find all the information to make your festival season one of the greats and vastly reduce any room for error.

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1. Thou shall master the art of condensing

As tempting as it is to look positively on fleek for your festival look, hoarding a tonne of products won’t do you any favours. But touch ups do happen, which is why we encourage stashing products that are compact in size and compact by nature, capable of doing one, two or even three jobs.

For example, to maintain colour on your face, choose a hydrating balm that includes a tint you can also use on your cheeks, and always where possible, look for products with SPF to protect against the sun’s damaging rays.

For the face, opt for a foundation stick or mineral compact you can apply like a concealer but also blend far and wide should you require extra coverage. You know, from sweating off your face from all that dancing.

2. Thou shall accept schedule clashes

Schedule clashes are inevitable. To manage your expectations and avoid heartbreak, sit down with your crew and mull over the lineup timings along with the festival layout. Don’t underestimate travel time between stages, consider your friends’ wants too and sacrifice wisely.

3. Thou shall check the weather report (and then check it again)

What you choose to wear can make or break your entire experience. Keep tabs on what the weather is doing and be flexible in your approach. Ditch the short, floaty dress if it’s gale force winds, pocket a poncho if rain is on the cards, slap on ample sunscreen and wear light layers if it’s bound to be a scorcher, and DO NOT let yourself get cold. Nothing is more sobering than being drenched to your core.

Another helpful hint: Sharing portaloos with the masses can be a particularly unhygienic ordeal. Pack hand sanitiser, wipes or rinse-free hand wash to keep germs at bay.

5. Thou shalt not choose inappropriate footwear

It’s the fashion over practicality decision you never thought you’d have to make. You’re going to spend prolonged hours on your feet, so avoid wearing brand new shoes you haven’t broken in yet or prepare for a one way ticket to blistersville. While you’re there, ditch the heels, ditch the suede and ditch anything you couldn’t bear anything happening to. This is not the time to debut the Anine Bings you’ve been paying off for months.

6. Thou shalt not go without a meeting point

People get lost, phone batteries die, s*#t happens. At the start of the day, rally up the crew and decide on a meeting point to meet at on the hour should you lose a member or two throughout the day. No one wants to be stranded, empty pocketed and hungry.

7. Thou shall choose a bag wisely

Packing a big bag so you can throw in that lengthy list of just-in-case items may seem like a sensible strategy. Unless, of course, you’re Mary Poppins, carrying a heavy backpack will become the bane of your existence as the day goes on. Choose the essentials, consider commandment one and be nimble and free to dance ’til your heart’s content sans bulky backpack.

8. Thou shalt not go without basic needs

Contrary to our blasphemy making a point of minimalism, there’s a fine line between ‘just-in-case’ items and, well, being responsible. Consider whether or not you need items like a spare hair tie, sanitary items, birth control, band aids, chewing gum, a refillable clear water bottle, pain relief, energy bites… or all of the above. Use your past concerts and festivals as a barometer as to what you could have done with (and forgot) to avoid repeat offending.

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9. Thou shall plan ahead

Be it your transport home, or a replenished fridge of blue Powerade for the next day, a little thought towards foreseeable or routine hiccups can make all the difference. Failing to do so could result in a three hour taxi wait in pouring rain, a $210 Uber ride, a 45 minute wait on a $20 Tank juice via UberEATS the next morning with a searing headache, or showing up to work with a stubborn glitter/paint situation.

This brings us to the concluding sentiment of your guide to surviving festival season. Always take measures to stay safe, take loads of pictures, enjoy the moment and have fun. YOYO (you’re only young once) -do people still even use that saying? If not, they should.